10 beautiful birds found only in India

Birds of India

Himalayan Monal

Himalayan Monal is the state bird of Uttarakhand. The beautiful bird is known for its plumage of blue, green, and copper shades and thrives in the Himalayan forests at high altitudes. When the breeding season comes, males show their colourful feathers to attract mates.

Malabar Parakeet

Malabar Parakeet is endemic to the Western Ghats. These parakeets have a bluish-grey body with a bright green tail and a red beak. Males look absolutely gorgeous with a striking black and pink collar around their neck. They usually move in flocks and fill the forests with their voice chatter.

Nicobar Megapode

Nicobar Megapode is unique to the Nicobar Islands. The bird is known for building huge nesting mounds out of sand and vegetation. Its brownish plumage may look plain, but its ecological behavior is really interesting and fascinating.

Red Junglefowl

Grey Junglefowl is endemic to Peninsular India. It is a wild relative of the domestic chicken. Males sport long neck hackles tipped with golden-yellow, giving them a regal look. Their loud calls echo through forests at dawn, announcing their presence.

Indian Peafowl (Peacock)

It is also the ‘National Bird of India’. The peacock is celebrated for its dazzling blue plumage and stunning tail feathers in shades of blue. During courtship, the male fans out its train in a beautiful dance. These can be spotted across much of India, and thrives in forests, villages, and temple grounds.

Indian Pitta

Indian Pitta is also known as the “Navrang” (the one with nine shades). The beautiful bird is known for its bright green, blue, and yellow plumage and is mostly seen hopping on the forest floor, looking for insects. Its melodious voice signals the arrival of the monsoon.

Jerdon’s Courser

One of the rarest and critically endangered birds in the world, Jerdon’s Courser is found only in Andhra Pradesh. It is extremely pretty and has cryptic brown and buff markings that help it blend with forest. These birds are mainly active at night, making sightings extremely rare.

Forest Owlet

Forest Owlet were rediscovered in 1997 after being thought extinct for over a century. This makes them critically endangered. It is a small owl having grey-brown plumage. The owl's eyes are also absolutely yellow. These are primarily spotted in central India. Consider yourself ;lucky, if you spot one.

Nilgiri Flycatcher

Nilgiri Flycatcher is a tiny but pretty bird of the Western Ghats known for the male’s striking deep blue plumage. It usually perches quietly, darting out to catch insects mid-air. Its sweet, soft call adds to the overall experience and charm of the forests.